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Deep Travel ~ Timeless Style
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HEMISPHERE -----------------------------------------------202[ARTICLE] ARTICLE | |||
Take Control of Your YouTube AlgorithmBy Estefanía Muriel for Ruta Pantera on 7/30/2025 2:41:21 PM |
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| Activity controls > Web & App Activity > Auto-delete), scheduling it to be deleted every 3, 18, or 36 months. This way, your algorithmic profile will stay fresh and adapt to changes and different personal interests. Something important to keep in mind is to provide direct feedback to YouTube. The "Not interested" and "Don't recommend channel" options, accessible from the three-dot menu next to any recommendation, are indispensable tools. The first eliminates the specific suggestion and reduces the likelihood of similar videos reappearing, while the other is a more precise signal to completely exclude content from a channel that doesn't contribute to our goals. Our actions are cumulative, and they ultimately define our YouTube profile feed. It also allows us to undo those choices. By visiting My Activity on Google and locating the section corresponding to interactions with YouTube recommendations, we can delete previously submitted feedback, reopening the door to content we had perhaps prematurely discarded. The same goes for content that does interest us: it's important to know that each "Like" given to a video acts as a signal to want to receive more similar content. In this way, we train the algorithm to offer us more of that type of content. Subscriptions to quality channels�those whose creators demonstrate rigor, depth, or a perspective aligned with our values�are another way to express commitment. By enabling notifications (the bell icon) for the channels most important to us, we ensure we don't miss their content, thereby reinforcing their importance to the algorithm. Furthermore, creating and curating themed playlists on a specific topic goes beyond mere organization: they constitute an explicit statement of our established interests, create valuable archives for us, and send clear, structured signals to the algorithm about the areas we want to cultivate. Sometimes, to avoid leaving a trace on our profile, we need to isolate our viewing sessions. YouTube's incognito mode is perfect for one-off queries of little future interest: watching a quick review, a specific tutorial outside our field, or satisfying a momentary curiosity without influencing subsequent recommendations. For a more structural separation, especially if we have very disparate interests�for example, we use YouTube both for casual entertainment at the gym and for professional training or academic research�creating multiple profiles using secondary Google accounts would be a good strategy. Maintaining separate profiles, such as "Travel & Style," "Personal & Professional Development," and perhaps "Leisure & Music," allows each algorithm to focus, offering much more relevant recommendations based on the need and focus of interest. Finally, we can adjust our digital environment to encourage more intentional consumption. Managing notifications (Settings > Notifications), disabling the generic "recommended videos" notifications and keeping only those from specific channels, reduces reactive interruptions and encourages us to visit YouTube with a clear purpose. On the home page, especially in the mobile app, actively using topic filters�the "chips" or buttons like "Travel," "Meditation," or "Personal Finance"�allows us to focus our current session on a particular area of interest, allowing for more targeted browsing. And for those seeking greater autonomy in recommendations, there are quite useful external tools: RSS readers (such as Feedly, Inoreader) and automation tools (Zapier, RSS.app), along with specific browser extensions ("RSS Subscription Extension"), allow you to subscribe directly to feeds from selected channels or playlists, receiving updates on new content without relying at all on YouTube's recommendation algorithm, thus ensuring that we only see exactly what we've chosen to follow. Consciously applying these strategies radically transforms our relationship with YouTube, especially in areas of interest like travel, lifestyle, and personal development. For example, when planning a trip, this would be the time to pause your feed for preliminary research or to rule out destinations that don't interest you; It would also be appropriate to create detailed lists and subscribe to travel channels with specific focuses (cultural, adventure, slow travel) to refine inspiration. In the realm of style, playlists become dynamic moodboards, likes become votes for preferred aesthetics, and separate profiles help distinguish fashion inspiration from other interests. For personal development, subscribing to rigorous experts, liking content that resonates deeply, and actively removing superficial videos ensures that YouTube becomes a source of meaningful learning rather than noise and irrelevant content. In conclusion, YouTube holds extraordinary potential for our growth, inspiration, and discovery, but this potential is only realized when we stop being passive, algorithmically driven consumers and become conscious builders of our own information and entertainment experience. Implementing the aforementioned strategies�from history management and intelligent use of feedback, to reinforcing positive preferences and strategically employing tools like lists, incognito mode, and RSS�requires an initial investment of attention and effort. However, the benefits are truly useful and long-lasting. By doing so, YouTube ceases to be a source of distractions and generic content and becomes a personalized ally, a tool designed to discover our next destination, define our style with authenticity, and, above all, nurture our ongoing personal development. It's time to take control of what is consumed in the vast YouTube universe. ___________ Sources Google. (2024). View, delete, activate, or deactivate your watch history [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/95725?hl=en Google. (2024). How to view and delete your YouTube search history [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/4468606?hl=en Google. (2024). Pause or reactivate your watch and search history [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/3397947?hl=en Google. (2024). Automatically delete your activity [Google Account Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/7667198?hl=en Google. (2024). Send feedback on recommendations [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/10315299?hl=en McLachlan, S. (2024, March 13). How does the YouTube algorithm work? The guide for 2024. Hootsuite Blog. Retrieved from https://blog.hootsuite.com/youtube-algorithm/ Covington, P., Adams, J., & Sargin, E. (2016). Deep neural networks for YouTube recommendations. Proceedings of the 10th ACM Conference on Recommender Systems, 191�198. Retrieved from https://research.google/pubs/pub44830 Garc�a, �. (2025, April 8). Your YouTube will be (almost) empty if you don't activate history: the platform warns about how recommendations will change. Xataka Android. Retrieved from https://www.xatakandroid.com/aplicaciones-android/tendras-youtube-casi-vacio-no-activas-historial-plataforma-advierte-como-cambiaran-recomendaciones YouTube Help. (2024). Manage subscriptions and notifications [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6180214?hl=es-419 Feedly. (2024). How to use Feedly to follow YouTube channels via RSS. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://feedly.com/" maxlength="200000">Take control of the YouTube algorithm Practical strategies to personalize your recommendations and turn YouTube into your ally for inspiration, travel, and personal development. By Estefanía M. Today, the digital age sets the pace of our daily lives, and platforms like YouTube are a clear reflection of this. YouTube is considered a great source of information and, above all, an ideal application for entertainment: an infinite virtual audiovisual library that offers everything from exploring a variety of travel destinations and inspiration to define our personal style, to accessing in-depth knowledge for developing as a professional and a person. However, the breadth of the platform's offering often clashes with the reality of its internal engine, which features an optimized algorithm that, primarily, captures our attention and maximizes the time we spend on the platform. This priority, while understandable from a business perspective, doesn't always align with our content expectations and aspirations, causing our consumption to cease to be objective and become passive consumption of content that is superficial, repetitive, or simply unrelated to our true interests. It has become clear that many users feel the frustration of drifting through this digital ocean, dragged by the algorithm that keeps them from the content they're truly looking for. This article serves as a basic navigation guide to regaining conscious control of our YouTube experience, transforming it from a potential source of distraction into a powerful ally for inspiration, knowledge, and personal enrichment. To have a good YouTube experience, it's crucial to first understand how this platform interprets our actions and subsequently displays content to us. YouTube isn't a magical entity, nor does it have an algorithm that operates on specific signals that we constantly emit. Our viewing history acts as that fundamental foundation: each video viewed is interpreted by the algorithm as an implicit request for more similar content, thus forming the basis of our interest profile. Search history complements this, revealing our explicit intentions and curiosities, both occasional and frequent. Our direct interactions, such as �Likes,� function as approval votes that reinforce our affinity for certain topics or content, while �Dislikes� act, although often with lesser weight, as rejection signals. More directly, explicit feedback through �Not Interested� and �Don't Recommend Channel� buttons allows us to actively refine and remove things we dislike or that are beyond our interest. On the other hand, subscriptions and playlist creation represent a more deliberate engagement with specific creators or subject areas, indicating sustained interests that the algorithm tends to prioritize. Finally, factors such as watch time and whether we watch until the end also inform the system about our level of engagement with that content. This mechanism reinforces existing patterns, potentially locking us into the same content all the time, limiting exposure to new perspectives and valuable, albeit different, content. The key to overcoming this limitation, therefore, lies in active and conscious management of these signals. To gain control and a better experience, YouTube doesn't require in-depth knowledge of algorithms, but rather a more conscious and thoughtful use. The first step is to focus on our history; this history is the true cornerstone of our algorithmic profile. It's essential to regularly review our viewing history (accessible from Library > History) and proceed to delete all videos that aren't aligned with our interests. That viral video watched out of curiosity, a tutorial for a specific need that's already been resolved, or perhaps content watched in a moment of distraction, can "disfigure" or "ruin" the YouTube algorithm's recommendations in the future, as it perceives that content as meaningful and important to you. Deleting your history is a clear and forceful action sent to the algorithm so that it doesn't show that type of content again. Similarly, we should clear the search history (Library > History > History Type: Search History), removing past queries that are no longer relevant or that could affect future app results. A powerful tool for specific browsing moments that aren't relevant to our interests is pausing your history (Settings > History & Privacy > Pause History). Before researching a specific topic for someone else or delving into tutorials you only need once in a lifetime, you need to pause it; this will prevent those views from "polluting" your profile with unwanted content. It's equally important to reactivate your history afterward. For a better long-term experience, consider setting up automatic deletion of your Google activity (My Activity on Google > Activity controls > Web & App Activity > Auto-delete), scheduling it to be deleted every 3, 18, or 36 months. This way, your algorithmic profile will stay fresh and adapt to changes and different personal interests. Something important to keep in mind is to provide direct feedback to YouTube. The "Not interested" and "Don't recommend channel" options, accessible from the three-dot menu next to any recommendation, are indispensable tools. The first eliminates the specific suggestion and reduces the likelihood of similar videos reappearing, while the other is a more precise signal to completely exclude content from a channel that doesn't contribute to our goals. Our actions are cumulative, and they ultimately define our YouTube profile feed. It also allows us to undo those choices. By visiting My Activity on Google and locating the section corresponding to interactions with YouTube recommendations, we can delete previously submitted feedback, reopening the door to content we had perhaps prematurely discarded. The same goes for content that does interest us: it's important to know that each "Like" given to a video acts as a signal to want to receive more similar content. In this way, we train the algorithm to offer us more of that type of content. Subscriptions to quality channels�those whose creators demonstrate rigor, depth, or a perspective aligned with our values�are another way to express commitment. By enabling notifications (the bell icon) for the channels most important to us, we ensure we don't miss their content, thereby reinforcing their importance to the algorithm. Furthermore, creating and curating themed playlists on a specific topic goes beyond mere organization: they constitute an explicit statement of our established interests, create valuable archives for us, and send clear, structured signals to the algorithm about the areas we want to cultivate. Sometimes, to avoid leaving a trace on our profile, we need to isolate our viewing sessions. YouTube's incognito mode is perfect for one-off queries of little future interest: watching a quick review, a specific tutorial outside our field, or satisfying a momentary curiosity without influencing subsequent recommendations. For a more structural separation, especially if we have very disparate interests�for example, we use YouTube both for casual entertainment at the gym and for professional training or academic research�creating multiple profiles using secondary Google accounts would be a good strategy. Maintaining separate profiles, such as "Travel & Style," "Personal & Professional Development," and perhaps "Leisure & Music," allows each algorithm to focus, offering much more relevant recommendations based on the need and focus of interest. Finally, we can adjust our digital environment to encourage more intentional consumption. Managing notifications (Settings > Notifications), disabling the generic "recommended videos" notifications and keeping only those from specific channels, reduces reactive interruptions and encourages us to visit YouTube with a clear purpose. On the home page, especially in the mobile app, actively using topic filters�the "chips" or buttons like "Travel," "Meditation," or "Personal Finance"�allows us to focus our current session on a particular area of interest, allowing for more targeted browsing. And for those seeking greater autonomy in recommendations, there are quite useful external tools: RSS readers (such as Feedly, Inoreader) and automation tools (Zapier, RSS.app), along with specific browser extensions ("RSS Subscription Extension"), allow you to subscribe directly to feeds from selected channels or playlists, receiving updates on new content without relying at all on YouTube's recommendation algorithm, thus ensuring that we only see exactly what we've chosen to follow. Consciously applying these strategies radically transforms our relationship with YouTube, especially in areas of interest like travel, lifestyle, and personal development. For example, when planning a trip, this would be the time to pause your feed for preliminary research or to rule out destinations that don't interest you; It would also be appropriate to create detailed lists and subscribe to travel channels with specific focuses (cultural, adventure, slow travel) to refine inspiration. In the realm of style, playlists become dynamic moodboards, likes become votes for preferred aesthetics, and separate profiles help distinguish fashion inspiration from other interests. For personal development, subscribing to rigorous experts, liking content that resonates deeply, and actively removing superficial videos ensures that YouTube becomes a source of meaningful learning rather than noise and irrelevant content. In conclusion, YouTube holds extraordinary potential for our growth, inspiration, and discovery, but this potential is only realized when we stop being passive, algorithmically driven consumers and become conscious builders of our own information and entertainment experience. Implementing the aforementioned strategies�from history management and intelligent use of feedback, to reinforcing positive preferences and strategically employing tools like lists, incognito mode, and RSS�requires an initial investment of attention and effort. However, the benefits are truly useful and long-lasting. By doing so, YouTube ceases to be a source of distractions and generic content and becomes a personalized ally, a tool designed to discover our next destination, define our style with authenticity, and, above all, nurture our ongoing personal development. It's time to take control of what is consumed in the vast YouTube universe. ___________ Sources Google. (2024). View, delete, activate, or deactivate your watch history [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/95725?hl=en Google. (2024). How to view and delete your YouTube search history [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/4468606?hl=en Google. (2024). Pause or reactivate your watch and search history [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/3397947?hl=en Google. (2024). Automatically delete your activity [Google Account Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/7667198?hl=en Google. (2024). Send feedback on recommendations [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/10315299?hl=en McLachlan, S. (2024, March 13). How does the YouTube algorithm work? The guide for 2024. Hootsuite Blog. Retrieved from https://blog.hootsuite.com/youtube-algorithm/ Covington, P., Adams, J., & Sargin, E. (2016). Deep neural networks for YouTube recommendations. Proceedings of the 10th ACM Conference on Recommender Systems, 191�198. Retrieved from https://research.google/pubs/pub44830 Garc�a, �. (2025, April 8). Your YouTube will be (almost) empty if you don't activate history: the platform warns about how recommendations will change. Xataka Android. Retrieved from https://www.xatakandroid.com/aplicaciones-android/tendras-youtube-casi-vacio-no-activas-historial-plataforma-advierte-como-cambiaran-recomendaciones YouTube Help. (2024). Manage subscriptions and notifications [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6180214?hl=es-419 Feedly. (2024). How to use Feedly to follow YouTube channels via RSS. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://feedly.com/" maxlength="200000"> History > History Type: Search History), removing past queries that are no longer relevant or that could affect future app results. A powerful tool for specific browsing moments that aren't relevant to our interests is pausing your history (Settings > History & Privacy > Pause History). Before researching a specific topic for someone else or delving into tutorials you only need once in a lifetime, you need to pause it; this will prevent those views from "polluting" your profile with unwanted content. It's equally important to reactivate your history afterward. For a better long-term experience, consider setting up automatic deletion of your Google activity (My Activity on Google > Activity controls > Web & App Activity > Auto-delete), scheduling it to be deleted every 3, 18, or 36 months. This way, your algorithmic profile will stay fresh and adapt to changes and different personal interests. Something important to keep in mind is to provide direct feedback to YouTube. The "Not interested" and "Don't recommend channel" options, accessible from the three-dot menu next to any recommendation, are indispensable tools. The first eliminates the specific suggestion and reduces the likelihood of similar videos reappearing, while the other is a more precise signal to completely exclude content from a channel that doesn't contribute to our goals. Our actions are cumulative, and they ultimately define our YouTube profile feed. It also allows us to undo those choices. By visiting My Activity on Google and locating the section corresponding to interactions with YouTube recommendations, we can delete previously submitted feedback, reopening the door to content we had perhaps prematurely discarded. The same goes for content that does interest us: it's important to know that each "Like" given to a video acts as a signal to want to receive more similar content. In this way, we train the algorithm to offer us more of that type of content. Subscriptions to quality channels�those whose creators demonstrate rigor, depth, or a perspective aligned with our values�are another way to express commitment. By enabling notifications (the bell icon) for the channels most important to us, we ensure we don't miss their content, thereby reinforcing their importance to the algorithm. Furthermore, creating and curating themed playlists on a specific topic goes beyond mere organization: they constitute an explicit statement of our established interests, create valuable archives for us, and send clear, structured signals to the algorithm about the areas we want to cultivate. Sometimes, to avoid leaving a trace on our profile, we need to isolate our viewing sessions. YouTube's incognito mode is perfect for one-off queries of little future interest: watching a quick review, a specific tutorial outside our field, or satisfying a momentary curiosity without influencing subsequent recommendations. For a more structural separation, especially if we have very disparate interests�for example, we use YouTube both for casual entertainment at the gym and for professional training or academic research�creating multiple profiles using secondary Google accounts would be a good strategy. Maintaining separate profiles, such as "Travel & Style," "Personal & Professional Development," and perhaps "Leisure & Music," allows each algorithm to focus, offering much more relevant recommendations based on the need and focus of interest. Finally, we can adjust our digital environment to encourage more intentional consumption. Managing notifications (Settings > Notifications), disabling the generic "recommended videos" notifications and keeping only those from specific channels, reduces reactive interruptions and encourages us to visit YouTube with a clear purpose. On the home page, especially in the mobile app, actively using topic filters�the "chips" or buttons like "Travel," "Meditation," or "Personal Finance"�allows us to focus our current session on a particular area of interest, allowing for more targeted browsing. And for those seeking greater autonomy in recommendations, there are quite useful external tools: RSS readers (such as Feedly, Inoreader) and automation tools (Zapier, RSS.app), along with specific browser extensions ("RSS Subscription Extension"), allow you to subscribe directly to feeds from selected channels or playlists, receiving updates on new content without relying at all on YouTube's recommendation algorithm, thus ensuring that we only see exactly what we've chosen to follow. Consciously applying these strategies radically transforms our relationship with YouTube, especially in areas of interest like travel, lifestyle, and personal development. For example, when planning a trip, this would be the time to pause your feed for preliminary research or to rule out destinations that don't interest you; It would also be appropriate to create detailed lists and subscribe to travel channels with specific focuses (cultural, adventure, slow travel) to refine inspiration. In the realm of style, playlists become dynamic moodboards, likes become votes for preferred aesthetics, and separate profiles help distinguish fashion inspiration from other interests. For personal development, subscribing to rigorous experts, liking content that resonates deeply, and actively removing superficial videos ensures that YouTube becomes a source of meaningful learning rather than noise and irrelevant content. In conclusion, YouTube holds extraordinary potential for our growth, inspiration, and discovery, but this potential is only realized when we stop being passive, algorithmically driven consumers and become conscious builders of our own information and entertainment experience. Implementing the aforementioned strategies�from history management and intelligent use of feedback, to reinforcing positive preferences and strategically employing tools like lists, incognito mode, and RSS�requires an initial investment of attention and effort. However, the benefits are truly useful and long-lasting. By doing so, YouTube ceases to be a source of distractions and generic content and becomes a personalized ally, a tool designed to discover our next destination, define our style with authenticity, and, above all, nurture our ongoing personal development. It's time to take control of what is consumed in the vast YouTube universe. ___________ Sources Google. (2024). View, delete, activate, or deactivate your watch history [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/95725?hl=en Google. (2024). How to view and delete your YouTube search history [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/4468606?hl=en Google. (2024). Pause or reactivate your watch and search history [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/3397947?hl=en Google. (2024). Automatically delete your activity [Google Account Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/7667198?hl=en Google. (2024). Send feedback on recommendations [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/10315299?hl=en McLachlan, S. (2024, March 13). How does the YouTube algorithm work? The guide for 2024. Hootsuite Blog. Retrieved from https://blog.hootsuite.com/youtube-algorithm/ Covington, P., Adams, J., & Sargin, E. (2016). Deep neural networks for YouTube recommendations. Proceedings of the 10th ACM Conference on Recommender Systems, 191�198. Retrieved from https://research.google/pubs/pub44830 Garc�a, �. (2025, April 8). Your YouTube will be (almost) empty if you don't activate history: the platform warns about how recommendations will change. Xataka Android. Retrieved from https://www.xatakandroid.com/aplicaciones-android/tendras-youtube-casi-vacio-no-activas-historial-plataforma-advierte-como-cambiaran-recomendaciones YouTube Help. (2024). Manage subscriptions and notifications [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6180214?hl=es-419 Feedly. (2024). How to use Feedly to follow YouTube channels via RSS. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://feedly.com/" maxlength="200000">Take control of the YouTube algorithm Practical strategies to personalize your recommendations and turn YouTube into your ally for inspiration, travel, and personal development. By Estefanía M. Today, the digital age sets the pace of our daily lives, and platforms like YouTube are a clear reflection of this. YouTube is considered a great source of information and, above all, an ideal application for entertainment: an infinite virtual audiovisual library that offers everything from exploring a variety of travel destinations and inspiration to define our personal style, to accessing in-depth knowledge for developing as a professional and a person. However, the breadth of the platform's offering often clashes with the reality of its internal engine, which features an optimized algorithm that, primarily, captures our attention and maximizes the time we spend on the platform. This priority, while understandable from a business perspective, doesn't always align with our content expectations and aspirations, causing our consumption to cease to be objective and become passive consumption of content that is superficial, repetitive, or simply unrelated to our true interests. It has become clear that many users feel the frustration of drifting through this digital ocean, dragged by the algorithm that keeps them from the content they're truly looking for. This article serves as a basic navigation guide to regaining conscious control of our YouTube experience, transforming it from a potential source of distraction into a powerful ally for inspiration, knowledge, and personal enrichment. To have a good YouTube experience, it's crucial to first understand how this platform interprets our actions and subsequently displays content to us. YouTube isn't a magical entity, nor does it have an algorithm that operates on specific signals that we constantly emit. Our viewing history acts as that fundamental foundation: each video viewed is interpreted by the algorithm as an implicit request for more similar content, thus forming the basis of our interest profile. Search history complements this, revealing our explicit intentions and curiosities, both occasional and frequent. Our direct interactions, such as �Likes,� function as approval votes that reinforce our affinity for certain topics or content, while �Dislikes� act, although often with lesser weight, as rejection signals. More directly, explicit feedback through �Not Interested� and �Don't Recommend Channel� buttons allows us to actively refine and remove things we dislike or that are beyond our interest. On the other hand, subscriptions and playlist creation represent a more deliberate engagement with specific creators or subject areas, indicating sustained interests that the algorithm tends to prioritize. Finally, factors such as watch time and whether we watch until the end also inform the system about our level of engagement with that content. This mechanism reinforces existing patterns, potentially locking us into the same content all the time, limiting exposure to new perspectives and valuable, albeit different, content. The key to overcoming this limitation, therefore, lies in active and conscious management of these signals. To gain control and a better experience, YouTube doesn't require in-depth knowledge of algorithms, but rather a more conscious and thoughtful use. The first step is to focus on our history; this history is the true cornerstone of our algorithmic profile. It's essential to regularly review our viewing history (accessible from Library > History) and proceed to delete all videos that aren't aligned with our interests. That viral video watched out of curiosity, a tutorial for a specific need that's already been resolved, or perhaps content watched in a moment of distraction, can "disfigure" or "ruin" the YouTube algorithm's recommendations in the future, as it perceives that content as meaningful and important to you. Deleting your history is a clear and forceful action sent to the algorithm so that it doesn't show that type of content again. Similarly, we should clear the search history (Library > History > History Type: Search History), removing past queries that are no longer relevant or that could affect future app results. A powerful tool for specific browsing moments that aren't relevant to our interests is pausing your history (Settings > History & Privacy > Pause History). Before researching a specific topic for someone else or delving into tutorials you only need once in a lifetime, you need to pause it; this will prevent those views from "polluting" your profile with unwanted content. It's equally important to reactivate your history afterward. For a better long-term experience, consider setting up automatic deletion of your Google activity (My Activity on Google > Activity controls > Web & App Activity > Auto-delete), scheduling it to be deleted every 3, 18, or 36 months. This way, your algorithmic profile will stay fresh and adapt to changes and different personal interests. Something important to keep in mind is to provide direct feedback to YouTube. The "Not interested" and "Don't recommend channel" options, accessible from the three-dot menu next to any recommendation, are indispensable tools. The first eliminates the specific suggestion and reduces the likelihood of similar videos reappearing, while the other is a more precise signal to completely exclude content from a channel that doesn't contribute to our goals. Our actions are cumulative, and they ultimately define our YouTube profile feed. It also allows us to undo those choices. By visiting My Activity on Google and locating the section corresponding to interactions with YouTube recommendations, we can delete previously submitted feedback, reopening the door to content we had perhaps prematurely discarded. The same goes for content that does interest us: it's important to know that each "Like" given to a video acts as a signal to want to receive more similar content. In this way, we train the algorithm to offer us more of that type of content. Subscriptions to quality channels�those whose creators demonstrate rigor, depth, or a perspective aligned with our values�are another way to express commitment. By enabling notifications (the bell icon) for the channels most important to us, we ensure we don't miss their content, thereby reinforcing their importance to the algorithm. Furthermore, creating and curating themed playlists on a specific topic goes beyond mere organization: they constitute an explicit statement of our established interests, create valuable archives for us, and send clear, structured signals to the algorithm about the areas we want to cultivate. Sometimes, to avoid leaving a trace on our profile, we need to isolate our viewing sessions. YouTube's incognito mode is perfect for one-off queries of little future interest: watching a quick review, a specific tutorial outside our field, or satisfying a momentary curiosity without influencing subsequent recommendations. For a more structural separation, especially if we have very disparate interests�for example, we use YouTube both for casual entertainment at the gym and for professional training or academic research�creating multiple profiles using secondary Google accounts would be a good strategy. Maintaining separate profiles, such as "Travel & Style," "Personal & Professional Development," and perhaps "Leisure & Music," allows each algorithm to focus, offering much more relevant recommendations based on the need and focus of interest. Finally, we can adjust our digital environment to encourage more intentional consumption. Managing notifications (Settings > Notifications), disabling the generic "recommended videos" notifications and keeping only those from specific channels, reduces reactive interruptions and encourages us to visit YouTube with a clear purpose. On the home page, especially in the mobile app, actively using topic filters�the "chips" or buttons like "Travel," "Meditation," or "Personal Finance"�allows us to focus our current session on a particular area of interest, allowing for more targeted browsing. And for those seeking greater autonomy in recommendations, there are quite useful external tools: RSS readers (such as Feedly, Inoreader) and automation tools (Zapier, RSS.app), along with specific browser extensions ("RSS Subscription Extension"), allow you to subscribe directly to feeds from selected channels or playlists, receiving updates on new content without relying at all on YouTube's recommendation algorithm, thus ensuring that we only see exactly what we've chosen to follow. Consciously applying these strategies radically transforms our relationship with YouTube, especially in areas of interest like travel, lifestyle, and personal development. For example, when planning a trip, this would be the time to pause your feed for preliminary research or to rule out destinations that don't interest you; It would also be appropriate to create detailed lists and subscribe to travel channels with specific focuses (cultural, adventure, slow travel) to refine inspiration. In the realm of style, playlists become dynamic moodboards, likes become votes for preferred aesthetics, and separate profiles help distinguish fashion inspiration from other interests. For personal development, subscribing to rigorous experts, liking content that resonates deeply, and actively removing superficial videos ensures that YouTube becomes a source of meaningful learning rather than noise and irrelevant content. In conclusion, YouTube holds extraordinary potential for our growth, inspiration, and discovery, but this potential is only realized when we stop being passive, algorithmically driven consumers and become conscious builders of our own information and entertainment experience. Implementing the aforementioned strategies�from history management and intelligent use of feedback, to reinforcing positive preferences and strategically employing tools like lists, incognito mode, and RSS�requires an initial investment of attention and effort. However, the benefits are truly useful and long-lasting. By doing so, YouTube ceases to be a source of distractions and generic content and becomes a personalized ally, a tool designed to discover our next destination, define our style with authenticity, and, above all, nurture our ongoing personal development. It's time to take control of what is consumed in the vast YouTube universe. ___________ Sources Google. (2024). View, delete, activate, or deactivate your watch history [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/95725?hl=en Google. (2024). How to view and delete your YouTube search history [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/4468606?hl=en Google. (2024). Pause or reactivate your watch and search history [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/3397947?hl=en Google. (2024). Automatically delete your activity [Google Account Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/7667198?hl=en Google. (2024). Send feedback on recommendations [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/10315299?hl=en McLachlan, S. (2024, March 13). How does the YouTube algorithm work? The guide for 2024. Hootsuite Blog. Retrieved from https://blog.hootsuite.com/youtube-algorithm/ Covington, P., Adams, J., & Sargin, E. (2016). Deep neural networks for YouTube recommendations. Proceedings of the 10th ACM Conference on Recommender Systems, 191�198. Retrieved from https://research.google/pubs/pub44830 Garc�a, �. (2025, April 8). Your YouTube will be (almost) empty if you don't activate history: the platform warns about how recommendations will change. Xataka Android. Retrieved from https://www.xatakandroid.com/aplicaciones-android/tendras-youtube-casi-vacio-no-activas-historial-plataforma-advierte-como-cambiaran-recomendaciones YouTube Help. (2024). Manage subscriptions and notifications [YouTube Help]. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6180214?hl=es-419 Feedly. (2024). How to use Feedly to follow YouTube channels via RSS. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://feedly.com/ | ||||
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